Comrad Sound was starting up as The New Black was having issues with the city earlier this year. Then, The New Black recovered and we had two wonderful all-ages spaces co-existing. Now Comrad Sound is running into similar issues with zoning and licensing, and young people around Calgary are trying to do something about it. Random Task Collective, who have spearheaded the Young Buds events at Sled Island have a call to action here.
All-ages venues are important to us, and to the Calgary community at large. Comrad has hosted a vast array of events for youth, and plan to continue to do so – minus the shows. But they were set to host some Young Buds shows next week. It’s a shame that Comrad will be missing a great opportunity to showcase their space to more youth in Calgary. However, the law is the law and Comrad didn’t quite get it right. But here’s hoping that with enough attention, these experiences can be something to learn from, and a stepping stone towards more positive relationships between all-ages venues and the City of Calgary.
The New Black is still having some issues with the city and are up for rezoning again. When will the city allow youth to have a safe space to enjoy music? It's so frustrating.